Vessel anchor

ABSTRACT

An anchor for a vessel includes a tubular shank having a plurality of holes, a pair of flukes extending in opposite directions from one of its ends, and a pair of holes which support a pin between and perpendicular to the flukes. Above the holes, the shank rigidly supports a coupler to which there is pivotally connected, one on each of opposite sides of the shank, a pair of flukes. Each of the pair of flukes is free to pivot within a plane passing through the axis of the pin and the shank. Further, the axis about which each fluke pivots is near an end of the fluke and the end is normally caused to abut the shank by a tension spring connecting the fluke to the pin. Thus, the pivotable flukes normally extend away from the shank at a predetermined angle. In addition, the inside of the shank slidably supports a tubular member having a plurality of holes and a link passing through one of its ends. The link is connected, via the inside of the tubular member and shank, by a tension spring to the pin. Thus, the tubular member and the link are resiliently coupled to the shank. When the anchor is dropped, the vessel&#39;&#39;s motion is absorbed by the resilient coupling, thereby preventing the vessel from drifting, and water flowing through the plurality of holes keeps the moving parts free of mud. When the anchor is out of the water, the pivotable flukes may be moved parallel to the shank and a ring which is connected by a line to the link may be slipped over them to prevent their opening, thereby permitting the anchor to lay on a deck without having upwardly projecting flukes.

United States Patent [1 1 [4 1 Feb. 26, 1974 Ziegler VESSEL ANCHOR [75] Inventor: Charles 0. Ziegler, East Marion,

[73] Assignee: Herman Kanfer, Plainview, N.Y.

[22] Filed: v Dec. 6, 1972 [21] Appl. No.: 312,741

[52] US. Cl. 114/208 [51] Int. Cl B63b 21/46 [58] Field of Search... 114/206, 207, 208 R, 208 A, l14/2l3,214,2l5,216,217, 235 A, 50; 294/66; 43/17.2, 44.95, 44.97

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,701,539 2/1955 Morel..... 114/208 R 2,490,460 12/1949 McAvoy 114/206 R 2,306,454 12/1942 Marshaus 114/206 R 957,315 5/1910 Duncanson 114/214 3,651,777 3/1972 Ehrlichmann 114/208 A 744,583 1.1/1903 Meaders 114/50 941,776 11/1909 Hall 114/208 R 1,414,992 5/1922 Meier 114/208 R 2,540,867 2/1951 Douglas... 114/208 A 2,938,726 5/1960 Hunter 114/209 2,690,153 9/1954 Ewbank et a1. 114/208 R Primary Examiner-Duane A. Reger Assistant Examiner-Galen L. Barefoot Attorney, Agent, or F irm--Carlos Nieves 5 7] ABSTRACT An anchor for a vessel includes a tubular shank having a plurality of holes, a pair of flukes extending in opposite directions from one of its ends, and a pair of holes which support a pin between and perpendicular to the flukes. Above the holes, the shank rigidly supports a coupler to which there is pivotally connected, one on each of opposite sides of the shank, a pair of flukes. Each of the pair of flukes is free to pivot within a plane passing through the axis of the pin and the shank. Further, the axis about which each fluke pivots is near an end of the fluke and the end is normally caused to abut the shank by a tension spring connecting the fluke to the pin. Thus, the pivotable flukes normally extend away from the shank at a predetermined angle. In addition, the inside of the shank slidably supports a tubular member having a plurality of holes and a link passing through one of its ends. The link is connected, via the inside of the tubular member and shank, by a tension spring to the pin. Thus, the tubular member and the link are resiliently coupled to the shank. When the anchor is dropped, the vessels motion is absorbed by the resilient coupling, thereby preventing the vessel from drifting, and water flowing through the plurality of holes keeps the moving parts free of mud. When the anchor is out of the water, the pivotable flukes may be moved parallel to the shank and a ring which is connected by a line to the link may be slipped over them to prevent their opening, thereby permitting the anchor to lay on a deck without having upwardly projecting flukes.

6 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures 1 VESSEL ANCHOR The subject of the invention relates to vessel anchors.

When a person goes fishing he generally anchors his 5 if the action of the water on the boat is transmitted to and loosens the anchor so as to permit the boat to drift. Accordingly, anchors which can firmly grip the bed below a boat and can withstand the boats motion without drifting are highly desirable. Although anchors having a plurality of flukes and shock absorbing mechanisms of the rod and piston variety are known, these mechanisms must remain water tight in order to absorb shocks transmitted to the anchor. To provide anchors of this type, the component parts must be manufactured to close tolerances, with the result that such anchors are relatively expensive. Further, it frequently happens that boat anchors are rested on the deck of a boat. Under these circumstances, some of the flukes project upwardly, and if a person slips or falls on one of the flukes, serious injuries may be inflicted by the flukes.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a shock absorbing anchor which can be manufactured inexpensively.

It is another object of the present invention to provide an anchor having pivotable flukes which can be moved from a first position wherein they extend away from the anchors shank at an angle to a second position wherein they are substancially parallel to the shank, thereby providing an anchor which can be laid on the deck of a boat without providing upwardly projecting flukes.

An article of manufacture, according to the invention, may be summarized as follows. An anchor of the type used in conjunction with a line to secure a vessel, comprising: a shank, means for resiliently coupling the shank to the line, at least one fluke pivotally coupled to the shank, means for biasing each of said at least one fluke to a predetermined open position, and means for arresting each of said at least one fluke in a predetermined closed position.

The above mentioned and other objects and features of this invention will become apparent by reference to the following description in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an anchor, according to the invention;

FIG. 2 is a side plan view of the anchor, portions of the anchor having been removed to show its structure; 55

and

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view of the anchor, showing a pair of flukes biased into abutment with a coupling fixed to the shank of the anchor.

Referring to FIG. 1, an anchor 10, according to the invention includes a shank 11 having a pair of flukes l2 and 13 extending from an end; a coupling 14 fixed to the shank 11; a pair of flukes 15 and 16 pivotally connected to the coupling 14; and a pair of elastic members, in the form of tension springs 17 and 18, each of which is connected at one end to one of the flukes 15 and 16. Tension springs 17 and 18 bias the end sections 20 and 21 of the flukes, respectively, into abutment with the coupling 14, thereby defining an open position for the flukes. Shank ll slidably supports a rigid member 23 which in this example is tubular. As shown in FIG. 2, rigid member 23 is coupled to a link 24 and link 24 is connected within rigid member 23 and shank 11 to pin 19 by a resilient member in the form of a tension spring 25. Thus, the link 24 and the rigid member 23 are resiliently coupled to the shank. As a result, when the link 24 is connected by a line to a vessel (not shown) and the anchor 10 is engaged with the bed beneath the vessel, the random motion of the vessel tugs on the line 30 but the spring 25 absorbs energy which would otherwise yank the anchor 10 from the bed. Ac cordingly, the vessel does not drift. Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, an annular member 26, secured to the-link 24 by a line 27 so as to prevent its loss, is used to keep the flukes l5 and 16 substantially parallel to the shank 11 when they are not needed or to prevent their sticking up from the deck of a vessel when the anchor is rested thereon. More specifically, since springs 17 and 18 bias flukes 15 and 16, respectively, towards an open position, when the flukes l5 and 16 are pivoted against the shank 11 and the annular member is slipped around the flukes (FIG. 2), a frictional engagement is created which keeps the annular member 26 and flukes l5 and 16 in place.

Referring to FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, shank 11 includes a plurality of holes 28 and rigid member 23 includes a plurality of holes 29. Thus, when the anchor is dropped from a vessel into water and engages the water bed, if rigid member 23 is moved by the vessel from one position to another, as shown by the dotted and solid line positions in FIG. 1, sand or mud particles having a tendency to interfere with such a motion are washed away by the water entering and leaving through the plurality of holes 28 and 29.

Coupling 14 is a tubular member having two radially extending slotted extensions 32 and 33, extension 32 having a pair of holes 34 for supporting a pin 35 within its slot 36 and extension 33 having a pair of holes 37 for supporting a pin 38 within its slot 39. As more fully described below, the slots 36 and 39 and pins 35 and 38 serve to pivotally support flukes 20 and 21, respectively. Typically, the coupling 14 is welded or soldered to the shank 11 such that extensions 32 and 33 are perpendicular to an imaginary plane passing through flukes l2 and 13.

The end 20 of fluke 15 has two parallel surfaces bounded by a generally elliptical surface 40 and a pair of holes 41 and 42 transverse to the parallel surfaces, one on each side of the flukes axis of symmetry. Similarly, the end 21 of fluke 16 has two parallel surfaces bounded by a generally elliptical surface 43 and a pair of holes 44 and 45 transverse to the parallel surfaces, one on each side of the fluke's axis of symmetry. Holes 41 and 44 are adapted to rotatably engage pins 35 and 38, respectively, and holes 42 and 45 are engaged by the ends of springs 17 and 18, respectively, to bias the flukes 15 and 16. Thus, as shown in FIG. 3, rotation of flukes 15 and 16 by tension springs 17 and 18 is limited by the abutment of elliptic surfaces 40 and 43 against coupling 14.

Pin 19 is threaded and is secured to a pair of holes and 51 (FIG. 2) in the shank 11 by a nut 47. As shown in FIGS. 1, 2, and 3, pin 19 serves as a support for an end of each of the springs 17, 18, and 25.

In the anchor 10 described the coupling 14 is a separate member fixed to the shank 11 and the rigid member 23 is slidable within the tubular shank 11. From an understanding of their function it is clear that the coupling could be an integral part of the shank and that rigid member 23 could be designed to be slidably engageable with the outside surface of the shank. Since the foregoing variations and others will be apparent to one having ordinary skill in the art, it is to be understood that the description herein of a preferred embodiment according to the invention is set forth as an example thereof and is not to be construed or interpreted as a limitation on the claims which follow and define the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. An anchor of the type used in conjunction with a line to secure a vessel, comprising:

a, a shank;

b.' at least one fluke pivotally coupled to the shank;

c. an annular member for arresting each of said at least one fluke in a predetermined closed position, the annular member being frictionally engageable with said at least one fluke;

d. means for biasing each of said at least one fluke in a predetermined open position; and

e. means for resiliently coupling the shank to the line,

including a rigid member having a pair of holes, the rigid member being slidably coupled to the shank, a link passing through the pair of holes, and a resilient member coupled at one end to the shank and connected at the other end to the link, the annular member being coupled to the rigid member by the link.

2. An anchor as defined in claim 1 wherein the rigid member includes a first plurality of holes; and wherein the shank includes a second plurality of holes, whereby said first and second plurality of holes prevent the permanent lodging of foreign matter within the anchor.

3. An anchor as defined in claim 1 wherein said means for biasing each of said at least one fluke includes at least one elastic member, each elastic member being coupled to one fluke and the shank.

4. An anchor as defined in claim 1 wherein said shank includes at least one fixed fluke.

5. An anchor as defined in claim 1 including a pin secured to the shank; and wherein said one end of the resilient member is connected to the pin.

6. An anchor as defined in claim 1 wherein at least one of said at least one fluke is pivotally connected between its ends to the shank, whereby when the fluke is in the open position one of its ends abuts against the shank. 

1. An anchor of the type used in conjunction with a line to secure a vessel, comprising: a. a shank; b. at least one fluke pivotally coupled to the shank; c. an annular member for arresting each of said at least one fluke in a predetermined closed position, the annular member being frictionally engageable with said at least one fluke; d. means for biasing each of said at least one fluke in a predetermined open position; and e. means for resiliently coupling the shank to the line, including a rigid member having a pair of holes, the rigid member being slidably coupled to the shank, a link passing through the pair of holes, and a resilient member coupled at one end to the shank and connected at the other end to the link, the annular member being coupled to the rigid member by the link.
 2. An anchor as defined in claim 1 wherein the rigid member includes a first plurality of holes; and wherein the shank includes a second plurality of holes, whereby said first and second plurality of holes prevent the permanent lodging of foreign matter within the anchor.
 3. An anchor as defined in claim 1 wherein said means for biasing each of said at least one fluke includes at least one elastic member, each elastic member being coupled to one fluke and the shank.
 4. An anchor as defined in claim 1 wherein said shank includes at least one fixed fluke.
 5. An anchor as defined in claim 1 including a pin secured to the shank; and wherein said one end of the resilient member is connected to the pin.
 6. An anchor as defined in claim 1 wherein at least one of said at least one fluke is pivotally connected between its ends to the shank, whereby when the fluke is in the open position one of its ends abuts against the shank. 